Missing
by Yoru no Chandra
Summary: Prequel to 'Different'. This is the story of the 2 years Naruto was missing from Konoha and how he became the young man I created in the story 'Different'... Oh, yeah DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto char., but I do own my own.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Missing

Was he far enough yet?

Naruto breathed heavily as he jumped from branch to branch through the Leaf territory. He was tired, his muscles almost at the brink of collapsing from lack of rest, but he would not stop. Stupid Sasuke, stupid Konohagekaru village. He was leaving and no one would stop him. Not if he kept on going non-stop. Though he doubted anyone cared enough to notice he was gone, let alone come searching for him. He wouldn't return anyway. Even if he became a nukenin, he wouldn't return.

Naruto landed skillfully on the branch of a tree and prepared to jump onto the branch up ahead, but his body gave way. He was falling to the ground a second later. A loud thud sounded from Naruto's still body landing on the hard, grassy, forest floor.

Minutes passed before Naruto tried to get up. His body was tired, but he was still to close to Konoha for his own sanity. A few more miles and he could rest for a scant number of minutes, but he would not stop now. Staggering to stand up, Naruto's breathing was even more agitated then before, his body screaming for more rest. He would not stop after all not only was he still to close to the village, but a lone shinobi could always count on getting into trouble.

Naruto, once he was standing, looked up to the branches, the safest place to be at but his body was running low on energy and chakra. Damn, even he had a limit. Damn! Well walking was the only way of moving right now. His body, though protesting every step, relaxed itself and slowly but steadily regained the exhausted energy.

The blow came out of nowhere, sending Naruto's tired body a few feet away. As Naruto's body slumped to the floor, four shinobi landed around Naruto, with the one responsible for the blow coming slowly toward them.

"Well, well if it isn't a Leaf shinobi.... care to tell us what you're doing out here all alone. Are you on a mission?" One of the ninja asked as Naruto stood up, facing the one heading towards them. His body was not up to the challenge of five adult shinobi, but it was either fight, flight or die and Naruto could barely move, let alone flee.

"He's but a child." One of the ninja behind Naruto muttered, but Naruto ignored him.

"Answer twerp," the ninja heading toward spoke, but Naruto said nothing.

A scant second later the shinobi heading toward him disappeared and reappeared in front of Naruto, landing a punch on his stomach and then another on his face sending him back to the ground once again.

Laughter flowed from one of the ninjas as two of them came straight at him. Anger flashed through Naruto and he managed to dodge the next attack and retaliated on the second, this time sending the enemy back.

"Shadow Doppelganger!" Naruto yelled as two clones appeared beside him and aided him, though it took all three of them to fight off the remaining ninja from the double attack.

Naruto grinned as the remaining four ninjas glared at him and three of them launched toward him all at once. It had always helped him to show a courageous front even if he knew he was over his head in trouble. As the attack came Naruto and his clones were separated from him and defeated seconds afterward. Naruto himself was not doing any better, but whether it was luck or his opponents bad strategy, Naruto dodged the attack from the two ninjas that had taken on his clones and they ended up hurting each other instead of him. Naruto then went forward and finished the job on the hurt ninja, kicking him to unconsciousness.

Landing with a bit of difficulty on his feet, Naruto never saw the attack from the fifth ninja behind him. The blow to his head rendered him just like two of his enemies, unconscious.

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'Owww . . .' Naruto thought as he awoke. 'Where am I? . . . why does my body hurt so much? And my head... it's killing me! . . . killing me? . . . wait-!'

Naruto opened his eyes as the realization of what happened came back to him. His body wouldn't respond to his mind's order to stand up in his frenzy, but a few seconds later he stopped his fruitless struggling and took in the scene around him. It was empty of his enemies. But how? He was unconscious and the kyuubi hadn't helped him at all so how was he alive? Unless they thought he was dead and left his body to rot. Damn them!

Now that he was calm, Naruto slowly sat up, his body less reluctant then before to obey him, but as soon as he sat he felt like he was going to puke from the dizziness that overcame him partly because of his throbbing head.

"Lie down or you'll puke child..."

Naruto froze. The memory of his attackers was still present in his mind. Out of the corner of his eyes, Naruto caught a glimpse of movement from some bushes. A second later the person came out of them and began walking toward him.

"I said lie down." The person said as he kneeled in front of him. He was covered from head to toe in white attire reminiscent of the samurai that worked directly under the Daimyo and lords while his face and hair were hidden behind a loose mask and turban; only his white-blue eyes were visible to Naruto.

"W-who are you?" Naruto asked though he did as the young man said. Once on the floor, Naruto could not help but close his eyes. Sleep bordered around his mind but it was stubbornly put aside. Naruto could not sleep without knowing who his apparent savior was and what he wanted.

"Name's Siel, I guess . . . I'm not good at healing, it's not my forte no matter what others think, but I can at lease bandage you up until we arrive at a clinic and-"

"Clinic?"

Siel nodded, unsure if he had crossed some unseen boundaries, "If it's okay with you? In good conscience I can't leave you alone as injured as you are so please don't argue."

Naruto grimaced, he'd been hurt pretty bad and the bruises were not his only concern. Had he been hit anywhere but his head he would have shrugged it off, but right now there was no way out of visiting a medic. "Fine."

"Well, then, good. Can I bandage you up first?"

"Sure."

Naruto moved to sit and found a pair of slim but strong hands helping him up. He said nothing, no thanks or complaint, while the masked person worked on him and found himself missing Konoha with Tsunade and . . .

No.

He would not think about her or any one. His life there was over.

"Done." Siel stated, "It'll do if I do say so myself."

Naruto blinked and glanced at the pale-blue eyes full of merriment. He hadn't noticed when he'd finished. "Thanks."

"No problem. Ready to go?"

"Where?" Naruto asked, finally having the mind to do so. As far as he knew, Konoha was still the closest village but he'd be damned if that was where this stranger was going to take him to.

"Well, it's out of my way, but Konoha's the closest-"

"No."

Siel froze. He hadn't expected that. "Why?"

"Not there. Anywhere, but there." Naruto struggled to say as he stood and found himself towering over the still kneeling Sil.

"You from there?" Siel asked.

When the young man in front of him refused to say anything more, Siel inwardly sighed. So he'd picked up a runaway? A _shinobi_runaway, by the looks of him. Hell, what a pickle this was, but it wouldn't be the first time something like this happened to him or someone related to him. Oh, well. He had accepted his fate of savior long ago. At that, Siel almost laughed out loud. _Savior_? Right. It was pure bad luck on his part that people with problems always seemed to find him at their worst time . . . Or he found them.

"I thought you would get dizzy standing up." Siel said; decision made and thus changing the way the conversation had been headed.

"I am."

"Sit down then."

"No. We'll go our separate ways from here, but thanks anyway."

"Where are you going?" Siel smiled beneath the scarf tied around his lower face.

"Somewhere."

"I can not let you go injured as you are." When Naruto glanced at him, Siel pointed at her head and said, "conscience, remember?"

"I'm not-"

"Of course not. You stated your desire to avoid that village so we shall go elsewhere to get you checked, where to, I don't know. "

Naruto blinked at the stranger before him. So Konoha was out? But that was the closest village and the nearest one was around half a day's distance. But wait . . . Naruto had just given the guy before him the perfect excuse to leave; yet he hadn't. Could anyone honestly be this nice? Yeah, Shizune was, and Iruka, and Hinata, and . . . no one. None of those people were a part of his life now. No matter how much it hurt him to depart from the people who had been his true friends, the price for remaining with them had been too high and he would not pay up.

"Well, I was headed homeward, wanna come?"

"What?" Now it was Naruto's turn to be surprised. _He_ hadn't expected this.

"I was headed home. Wanna come? With me?"

"Where, exactly, is your home?"

"Well . . . a very long distance to the west of here. It could take weeks on foot, days on a fast method of transportation."

"So, if I go with you, I get no medical help for who knows how long?" This was ridiculous.

"No. Not really. I'll just call one of my cousin's and have them pick us up." Siel said as he stood and walked toward the small bundle he'd left at the base of a tree and began rummaging through it.

"I think I'll just chance it here alo-"

"Found it. Ready?" Siel asked, his voice a touch warmer.

Before Naruto could say or do anything, Siel pressed a small button on what appeared to be a miniature remote. One moment he was surrounded by quiet and nature and the next . . .

Chaos.

People were running to and fro from who-knows where going who-knows where. Except most of these people didn't look human - not completely anyway. There was always something that marked them as different. Ears, noses, teeth's, eyes, fingernails . . . tails.

"What the hell?" Naruto asked Siel only to find that the young man was leaving. Unwilling to be left behind in such a crazy place, Naruto sprinted to catch up to him. By the time he stopped next to the young stranger, Naruto felt dizzy, sick and, well, not well.

"You shouldn't have run." Siel said only to find the blond shinobi falling face first to the ground. With uncanny speed, Siel caught the poor youth and dragged him out of the facility he had in-avertedly landed them in. That was why he hadn't wanted to use the teleport; no one ever knew where he or she would arrive. And no matter how much the creator worked on it, this kink could not be gotten rid off. Then again, at least it had landed them close to where he wanted to be instead of two miles away in a gentleman's spa . . . or lady's spa . . . or actually landing them at the hospital like it had happened to him once before except, that time, he had found himself inside a surgical room where a surgery was being held. And he had landed on the patient, for god's sake. It had been a good thing that the surgery hadn't even begun yet.

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Hello this be Yoru no Chandra,

This chapter was revised from the original chapter I uploaded some two years ago. After that, the next ones are new. That's right people, I'm finally continuing this story. Reviews please.

Ja'ne.


	2. Chapter 2

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_"Wake up, will you? Hey . . . "_

Naruto groaned as the voice by his ear continued to disturb his sleep. When his vocal protest wasn't enough to stop it, the blond shinobi tried to bat it away with his arm. It seemed to work for only a few seconds, but it was back almost immediately.

Realizing he would not be able to go under again, Naruto opened his eyes and squinted. Peach walls came to view then the image was interrupted by huge light blue, really they looked more white than blue, silver streaked eyes.

"Hello. Your finally awake."

Naruto blinked, tried to make sense of what this white haired person was saying and _who_ this white haired person was.

"I'm Siel, remember?"

Naruto observed the jovial person in front of him and slowly pieced everything together. He'd left Konoha, had been attacked by nukenin, and had been saved by this young man . . .

"I thought you were a guy." Naruto accused, disgruntled at the person in front of him. He'd been sure that Siel was a _he_ not a _she_.

Siel smiled and then, unable to stop it, chuckled. "Yeah, everyone thought I was a guy too. Sorry, I had forgotten how my attire made me look. Anyway, you, how are you feeling?"

Naruto allowed his pout to answer for him.

"I meant physically. Your head, for example."

"I'm fine. Head feels fine."

"Great. What's your name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto stated, realizing he hadn't provided much info about himself.

"Naruto Uzumaki, pleasure to know your name. Doctor says that the concussion is going to heal nicely, though you should remain abed for a little while longer. You hungry?"

"Yeah." If he were back home he would demand a nice big bowl of ramen, even though no one would have given it to him because it was 'not healthy'. But as it was . . .

"Well, what would you like?" Siel asked, wondering who this Naruto kid-shinobi was and why he had run away from Konoha.

"I don't know, what do you have?" Naruto asked, unsure what type of food was available here.

"Well, we have healthy foods such as fruit or vegetable soup. But considering your young, you probably don't want those, so how about a hamburger? Hot dog? Corn dog? Grilled cheese sandwich? Spaghetti? Ramen? Alphabet soup? Sandwich? Fri-"

"Did you just say _ramen_?" Naruto squeaked out. Oh, the aroma, the flavor, the everything!

" . . . Yeah, would you like some?" Siel asked cautiously as she realized she was dealing with a ramen-crazed person.

"Definitely!" Naruto cried, then, more quietly, "Can I have about five medium sized plates?"

"Sure . . ." Another ramen lover. Siel inwardly giggled as she thought of the other ramen lovers she knew.

"Thanks!"

"No problem. I'll got get them for you and be back in a bit."

Siel turned and walked out of the pristine room, this boy was loud and somewhat simple-minded, but, in one word, fun. So, how come he had fled the coup? There was no point on speculating an answer she would probably not be able come up with until she knew more.

Naruto gave a hearty laugh and thought of the meal he was going to get. In konoha, ramen would not be given in the hospital and . . .

No, he had left that behind and probably for good. Now he had to move on and forget the lies, how Konoha had behaved.

But still, it hurt. Too much. Konoha had been his home. No matter how it's civilians had treated him while he had been a child. That hidden village had been all he had known and in recent years, it hadn't been so bad. He'd had friends and people who care for him. They'd made a barrier around him, against the village's scorn. And he'd been content. His dream to be Hokage taking a far stronger precedence as his group of friends grew. Yet . . . what friends . . . with friends like that one never needed enemies. One never needed anything from anyone.

"I don't think you should be frowning." Siel remarked as she entered the room again, this time pushing a trolley with five bowls of steaming ramen. The blond seemed to visibly shake himself out of his thoughts. He was probably regretting his decision to leave the village of his origin.

"Why?" Naruto asked petulantly, even though his eyes were fixed on the plates coming his way. They sure did smell good.

"It doesn't seem to be part of your nature."

Naruto's eyes left the bowls and pierced hers. "Why?"

Judging by his sudden change of demeanor, Siel knew she had hit a nerve. "No offense, if that's the way you took it. I simply meant for you to understand that some people are naturally nice and fun while others or cold and serious. You, my friend, are the former." When she got no answer, Siel sighed, and then walked to the sole window. "Not everyone can be that easily classified. In fact few people are that simple to understand. But . . . there is an underlining current that flows through everyone and which is the basic and fundamental aspect of a person's character. The person might have a quick temper and a sharp tongue, but they could be nice under all that rough exterior. That's what I meant when I said that frowning did not suit your nature. I did not mean that you were incapable of worrying, but that if everything was wonderful in your world, Naruto, you would be an easy-going, fun person that would rarely be upset."

Naruto nodded, understanding what the girl in front of him was saying. She was not criticizing him, quite the opposite. "Fine, " He said and after a second, "can I eat the ramen?"

Siel turned and laughed as she motioned for him to eat the food she'd brought for him. The boy was a surprise, to be sure. He, on the outside, looked confident and maverick, but on the inside he was somewhat insecure about himself. Nevertheless, he was good . . . unfailingly good. And, perhaps, that had gotten him hurt many times. In Konoha, no doubt.

"Hey, are you sure this is ramen?" Naruto complained from the bed.

"Why?" Siel asked as she walked around the bed and stopped next to the trolley then glanced at the steaming bowls.

"It doesn't taste like ramen."

"Well, it's hospital ramen so it is made with more nutritious elements. "

"Oh, great." Naruto muttered as he wrinkled his face.

Siel laughed. "Eat it, picky."

"Hmm . . ." Naruto protested, but took another mouthful anyway and grinned when his companion continued to laugh.

"Well, I think that's a world record." Siel said about ten minutes later when she'd glanced at the clock.

Naruto smiled as he burped out. The ramen wasn't as good as Ichiraku's but it wasn't that bad either. It was after all ramen.

At that moment, a nurse dressed in a blue shirt and pants walked in. Both occupants watched silently as the nurse went about her business checking all the monitors the blond was hooked up with. She was gone without a word a couple of minutes later sending a meaningful glance toward the white-haired girl.

Siel caught the message and smiled. "Naruto, you heal abnormally fast for a human, you know."

Naruto tensed. "So?"

"_Are_ you human?"

Naruto debated whether to answer, but before he could say anything, Siel spoke.

"Do you remember the chaos we arrive in the middle off?"

"What of it?"

"The people were strange, weren't they?"

"Now that you mention it-"

"They aren't human either."

Naruto's eyes widened. He was utterly speechless. And thoughtless, too.

"So if you're a demon, you have nothing to worry about because no one here will accuse you of anything." There, it was out in the open. Now it was up to the young man to choice his path.

"I'm not a demon."

Sil's eyes flared wide. How could he deny something like that? "But then is fast healing something that all shinobi can do?"

" . . . No, but I'm not a demon." he disagreed without looking up and missing Sil's utter confusion expressed on her face.

"I don't understand." She stated when she realized Naruto could not see her face.

"I'm not a demon, but I do carry one inside me. I'm the nine-tailed Kyuubi's container." He glanced up and watched as the confusion gave way to astonishment.

"How did that happen?" When Naruto said nothing, Siel acknowledge that he had reached his limit. "So, do you have somewhere specific to go now that you've left your place of origin?"

Naruto shock his head.

"Alright, then, want to live with me and my family?"

Once again in the same day, Naruto was awestruck. Could someone really be that nice?

"Well?"

"You never told me what this place was or where it was located."

"It's known as the Siel Territory, the farthest country in the west."

"Oh, I guess It's as far as I can get from . . .back home."

Siel smiled, "Welcome to the family."

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This be Yoru no Chandra:

It's a new chapter!!! I'm Back!!!

Naruto did leave Konoha as a runaway. But there is more to his reasoning than what's been hinted at. Stay tuned and eventually you'll find out.

Ja'ne

Yoru no Chandra


	3. Chapter 3

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Naruto was let go two days later. Siel had been his only guest and was frequently visiting so he wasn't alone much. Still, when he was alone, he couldn't help but miss the sights and sounds of the village he had grown up in.

But after these fits of homesickness came the various feelings he had felt when he had made the decision to leave. And, then, came the knowledge that it was already to late for him to return home. He would only be welcomed back bound and gagged with a death sentence ready to fall over his head. Such was the way for all nukenin, except for those like Sasuke.

"You're frowning again, blonde." Siel said from the doorway then threw Naruto a paper bag. "There's clothing in there for you to change into." With that, the door was firmly closed.

Naruto blinked. That girl was there and gone as quickly as she'd appeared. She didn't even say hello. Shaking his head, with a grin on his face, Naruto opened the bag expecting his jump suit, however, he found dark material instead of the orange and black he was used too.

"What the . . . No way!" Naruto cried out as his hands dropped the black cotton shirt, equally black boxers, socks, shoes and jeans.

Without glancing at the change of clothing, Naruto jumped down from the bed and sped to the door.

"You!" Siel heard from her right and glanced over to find a hospital-dress clad Naruto throw the door open.

"Where's my clothing?" He demanded as he stalked toward her.

"Huh?" Now what was he going on about?

"The orange and black suit I came here wearing. Where is it?"

"Oh, that. In the laundry at my home." Siel said good-natured.

"What's it doing there?" Naruto demanded.

"It was supposed to be laundered, but laundry day was over by the time I got home that day. Unfortunately . . . " Siel smiled uneasily.

"What?" Naruto asked, dreading the worst.

"Laundry day is only once a week."

The blond boy didn't need Siel to tell him what that meant. He knew. His suit would be unavailable until next week. So the only thing to wear was . . .

"Why black?"

"Don't complain. All the men at home where mostly black so that's what you'll be wearing from now on."

"What!"

"You said that you wanted to live with me and my family." Siel reminded him.

"Yeah, but I was never told that my way of dress would be dictated!" He retorted.

"Stop arguing, Naruto. This change of attire is only while Mom takes you shopping for more clothing." Siel said, but didn't add that her mom would chose dark clothing anyway because all Sieloma men wore it.

"Fine." Naruto grumbled then retreated to the room to shower and dress.

Siel smiled and turned to the lady at the other side of the counter. "He's fun."

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"Siel, why does everyone bow?" Naruto asked as he followed his taller companion to her home.

"Hehe . . .they're just being polite." Siel said as she continued to smile at the people who bowed to them.

Naruto glanced around again, uneasily. They sure liked to bow. "Are you sure?"

"Hnn . . . Look there, in front of us to the right, is the war department known as the GC. It stands for Gedo Central. Not very original, but easy to memorize, don't you think?"

"I guess," Naruto agreed. The building Siel pointed out seemed far to open and unprotected with it's ground level to fifth floor glass walls and neatly arranged gardens. It looked more as a fancy hotel than the cite for the war department.

"I know that look," Siel glanced sideways at the youth beside her. "You think it's to glamorized to be such an important place."

"Well, yeah. I mean, shouldn't it be more protected or something?" Naruto said casting another glance at the building.

"Haha, it looks that way for a reason."

"Huh?" he wasn't sure he understood what she meant by that. When Siel appeared to pay his inquiry no attention, Naruto asked again. "Why is it supposed to look that way?"

Siel glanced sideways at him again, but she didn't respond.

"Hey, answer the-"

"Now, Naruto, there are places where questions should be asked and where they should not. We go left on this street." She didn't wait for him, but turned and continued to walk.

"Why shouldn't I ask the questions here?" Naruto asked again, stubbornly refusing to give up.

"We turn to the right after the next stoplight."

"Why won't you answer me?"

"Look, can we get home first? I promise to answer your questions then." Siel smiled, exasperated. How could he be so . . . so . . . stubborn?

Naruto begrudgingly nodded and remained silent for the remainder of their walk. When they turned, Naruto glanced up and found a dead end. "Don't tell me you live on the streets?"

Siel turned a startled glance his way and bursted out laughing. He was amazing. Without answering him, Siel continued forward until she stood in front of the wall. Once there, Siel lifted her hand forward and touched the stako wall. It dissolved within seconds, creating a pathway for them. Looking back at the bewildered blond, Siel said, "come," and preceded him inside.

He followed. "How come you destroyed the wall?"

"I didn't. Look behind."

Naruto turned his head and watched as the dissolved wall materialized behind them until it looked solid once again.

"It is a cool little doorway into the grounds that was created by the same person who created the teleporting remote. This one actually works without kinks." She didn't turn to the teen walking slightly behind her.

"Damn. I knew of hidden doorways, but this is just ridiculous."

"Yeah, well, it's not. There are only two official ways to get into these grounds, but all the inhabitants needed a few more entry and exit points. Because these points needed to be as clandestine and secure as possible, there was collaboration between the teleporting remote creator and the security personnel. The result was these fingerprint-activated, transdimensional doorways. Only people from within the compound can enter or exit and anyone else will be sent into another dimension where they shall remain until Washu, the creator of all these fun things, fetches them."

"Oh, okay . . . you lost me."

Siel faced him. "Where?"

Naruto closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly to the left. Now where had she lost him? Hmm . . . "At the beginning."

Laughter bubbled to the surface and Siel could do little to stop it. He really was somewhat simple minded. "Okay, lets see. The doorway we just walk through is only opened by people who live inside the enclosed grounds. It is activated by our fingerprints. The rectangle of wall that disappears goes into another dimension for about a minute and then it automatically reappears and closes. If anyone tries to break in the doorway opens but as soon as that person walks through, he or she is sent into the same dimension as the wall, but is unable to come back until Washu rescues him or her. Got it now?"

"Yeah, I think." Naruto agreed. So he had to make sure to not try to open the doors unless he wanted to be sent somewhere else.

"Haha, good, then lets continue onward, shall we?" Siel motioned for him to continue.

Naruto made to move, but stopped looking ahead of him. "Wait! Is this where you live?"

Siel glanced at the large castle in front of them and nodded, then verbally confirmed Naruto's question when she noticed that he hadn't turned to her.

"It's huge!"

"Yeah, it is."

Naruto blinked and closed his mouth. This place was bigger than any castle he'd seen before. And it was . . .

"How come it's made of glass? Doesn't that take away from privacy?"

"No. Actually, no one can see into the building because the wall-sized windows are double glassed and mirrored. We can see out, but no one can see in. Pretty good, huh?"

Naruto kept quiet as he contemplated what she'd told him. Now that he looked closely, he could see nothing of the inside and instead found only the massive reflection of the gardens. "Can't someone blow it up?"

"Yeah, if the bomb is strong enough, but other types of building materials can run into the same result if they were also bombed. This glass is bullet proof and can withstand some bombing. Plus, with floor to ceiling one-sided windows, there is no place some intruder could stand against it and not be seen."

"He, you people really thought of everything." Naruto smirked. No one in Konoha would ever have thought to do this.

"They did, didn't they?" Siel smiled and continued walking. "And it was all done to provide the most protection possible for the leader of the Siel Territory."

"You mean you live where the leader of this entire place lives?" At her nod, Naruto asked, "So just who are you?"

Siel laughed. "The war department is made up of the same material as this place and it is just as protected as these grounds are. Furthermore, it is designed so it wouldn't draw unwanted attention. Anyone who sees it and does not live in the city will think it a hotel and nothing more. Visible, but invisible."

"Don't evade my question!" Naruto yelled.

"I'm not. You asked a question that will be answered through observation. And I just answered the earlier question that I also refused to answer. Anyway, the GC building does appear to be a hotel, huh?"

"Yeah, I didn't even think it out of place or anything. It fit right in. Where are we going?"

"Unlike the wall surrounding the grounds, there is no hidden entries so we have to go into it through the usual doors."

Naruto nodded. They walked in silence until they came upon a balcony with its wooden and glass French doors open. Siel led the way in and Naruto soon found himself inside the crystal castle and in a spacious library.

"Books, ugh."

"Hahahaha. Funny." Siel continued through the private library and exited it through its principal doorway. She turned left and walked down the empty hallway.

"Regular walls inside." Naruto said softly to himself. He had somehow expected the inside to be like the outside. "Where are we headed?"

"You hungry?" Siel asked.

"Yeah, kind of." He replied as they turned right this time.

"It's lunch time so we're going to go and eat. You'll meet my family there." Siel turned and smiled at him.

Naruto grinned back.

Within seconds Siel turned right and walked through an opened doorway where murmured conversations could be heard. Naruto was right behind her.

"Sieloma," Almost everyone yelled and stood at the same time.

"Hello! Please continue everyone, but first I would like to introduce you to Naruto Uzumaki. He's part of our growing family now, okay?" Siel wrapped an arm around a stunned blond, and walked him toward an available seat where she pushed his unresisting body to sit and went toward her own seat at the head of the table.

Naruto took a few moments to get out of his shock, but then jumped up and sought Siel. "What do you mean part of your family? You can't just make such declarations and expect your family to think nothing of it!"

Siel laughed. "But, Naruto, no one's protesting."

Naruto sent a confused glare her way, but glanced around the large table at everyone's openly friendly stares. Huh? "Wait . . . "

"He's fun." Siel remarked of her new family member.

"How can you all take this so calm?" He asked and ended up getting more confused when everyone bursted out laughing.

The guy on his left poked Naruto before saying, "She didn't tell you?"

"What?"

"Only five of my brothers are actually biological brothers." Siel said sounding as if she were commenting on the weather.

Naruto blinked, unable to understand exactly what she meant. _Only five_ . . . that meant that she had . . . "So, how many brother's do you have?"

"Hmm . . . fifty."

Fifty?

FIFTY! She had fifty adopted brothers. Well, it made sense now. No one reacted because there were fifty others who were in the same boat he was. All right, cool. Wait, what was he thinking? It did not make sense!

"Give or take a few. Don't worry; you won't have to meet them all right now. It is very rare when more then twenty of them are at home." Siel continued, her lips twitched at the corners. "We have cousins too, but they _are_ blood relatives. Eat, be merry cuz you start training alongside our siblings tomorrow."

Naruto's head was woozy. What the hell had he gotten himself into? They were crazy, more so than Sakura or Ino. He probably would have been better off in Konoha.

The cerulean eyes widened when the blond caught his wayward thoughts. No, he would not - could not return - no matter what. And he'd better remember that.

"Naruto?" The brown haired kid who'd poked him earlier poked him again.

Annoyed, Naruto turned his narrowed eyes at him. "What?"

"Don't worry. Training and the schedule aren't that bad."

_Training . . .? Schedule . . .?_

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Huh? . . . The training and the schedule you shall be living by from now on until-"

"I don't know of any such thing!"

The brunette's eyebrows furrowed in apparent confusion. "Course you do. Sis just said you'd be starting training tomorrow."

"She never told me that."

"Oh. Well, don't worry anyway. Everyone in the family follows the basic schedule."

Naruto turned to his food and began eating without another word. So much had happened in just a few days. He'd left Konoha, met Siel, arrived here, and got himself a family and a future already planned out for him.

So, why was it not enough? Why was he here, surrounded by people who accepted him, and still found it lacking? Was it because all this was not taking place in Konoha? Because he'd gotten what he'd never completely grasped as his here and not in Konoha? Well, what a damn pickle this was.

_Hell._

0.0 ... 0.0 ... 0.0

Hello, this be Yoru no Chandra

Sorry. this chapter was scheduled to come out two months ago. check out my profile page to find out why i didn't upload. For dates of future updates and to find out what's going on with me, go to my profile page. Review and tell me what you think.

Anyway, Sorry!!! Sorry!!! Sorry!!!

Ja'ne

Yoru no Chandra


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